They Eat Puppies, Don't They?
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
In an attempt to gain Congressional approval for a top secret weapons system, Washington lobbyist "Bird" McIntyre and sexy Neo-Con wonkette Angel Templeton start a rumour that the Chinese secret service is trying to assassinate the Dalai Lama. Their outrageous scheme provokes a series of crises involving the White House, the CIA, and a strangely sympathetic and vulnerable Chinese president, with both countries veering perilously towards war.
Buckley has drawn his most convincing and outrageous characters to date: Bird, failed novelist of amusingly awful Clancy-esque thrillers; Angel, combination Anne Coulter and Ayn Rand; Bird's demanding, equestrian wife, Myndi; Bewks, his feckless but endearing Civil War re-enactor brother; the mild-mannered Chinese President Fa and his devoted aide Gang, manoeuvring desperately against sinister Politburo hard-liners Minister Lo and General Han.
Blending the skewering genius of Thank You For Smoking with Dr. Strangelove's dark comedy, They Eat Puppies Don't They? has something to offend -- and amuse -- everyone.
Praise for Christopher Buckely:
"One of the funniest writers in the English language." Tom Wolfe.
"A Benchley with WordPerfect." John Updike.
"An effervescent joy." Joseph Heller.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Buckley takes on another hot-button political issue in his latest satire. Returning somewhat to the Thank You For Smoking model, he presents "Bird" McIntyre, PR functionary for another unappealing lobby: arms manufacturers. His employers, Groepping-Sprunt, have a solution without a problem: a secret defense system, related to a near-future China, that is threatening in its ascendance authoritarianism, and ownership of American debt, if not actively dangerous. The company hopes that Bird's fomenting of anti-China sentiment will mean appropriations. His attentions soon turn to an ailing Dalai Lama, and a complex game of manipulation involving the upper echelons of the Chinese and American governments is afoot. Buckley has a smart grasp of the issues and plots a convincingly byzantine series of machinations, maintaining a light tone while discussing topics like state-sponsored assassination and drones. He's at his funniest when describing Bird's efforts to complete his hackneyed quartet of political thrillers, a self-aware move that revels in thriller clich s like the irresistible "blond, buff miniskirted" co-conspirator. There are a few sags and predictable twists, but overall this is a well-built addition to Buckley's oeuvre.
